Turnover apparatus for billets and the like



y 1955 R. KINNICUTT, JR., ETAL 3,181,709

TURNOVER APPARATUS FOR BILLETS AND THE LIKE Original Filed July 30, 1958 Q 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIZ INVENTORS RoGe'r Kinnicufl' 312 yHZfTecl gstauble MAJ H 'rney y 1965 R. KINNICUTT, JR., ETAL 3,181,709

TURNOVER APPARATUS FOR BILLETS AND THE LIKE Original Filed July so, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Rose-r ft'irmicufl yHZ Ted INVENTORS 31: g. S Tau ble H o neg y 1965 R. KINNICUTT, JR., ETAL 3,181,709

TURNOVER APPARATUS FOR BILLETS AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed July 30, 1958 INVENTORS Rose? ffinnicutt 37". HZf'red gstauble United States Patent 3,181,709 TURNOVER APPARATUS FOR BILLETS AND Tim LIKE Roger Kinnicutt, J12, Worcester, Mass, and Alfred G.

Stauble, Nashua, N.H., assignors to Morgan Construction Company, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Continuation of application Ser. No. 752,088, July 30, 1958. This application Nov. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 151,063 3 Claims. (Cl. 214-1) This is a continuation of copending application Serial No. 752,088 filed July 30, 1958 and now abandoned.

This invention relates generally to a turnover apparatus for billets and the like and, more particularly, to a mechanism for rotating the product of a rolling mill through a pre-selected angle about its longitudinal axis.

In the rolling of billets of square cross-section it is often necessary to rotate the billet about its longitudinal axis. This cross-section must be oriented properly with the grooves of a rolling mill stand which follows. For instance, in order to present a billet which leaves a first mill stand on the square to a following mill on the corner, it is necessary to rotate it at 45 from the first position. Turnover mechanisms have been developed in the past to serve this function. However, devices of this type used in the past have had several disabilities. In order to introduce the front end of the billet into the turnover apparatus, it is necessary to make the passage through which the billet passes considerably larger than the billet, so that the billet fits loosely in the passage and, when turned, can occupy any one of a number of positions in the old devices to determine the final position of the billet with any degree of accuracy. This, in turn, made it difficult to introduce the front end of the billet into the guide of the following roll stand. These and other deficiencies of the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.

It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the present invention to provide a turnover apparatus for use with billets and the like which will position the billet very accurately and which will facilitate the introduction of the front end of the billet into a following roll stand guide.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a turnover mechanism having a passage for the billet which can be enlarged for the introduction of the billet and can be reduced in size to permit accurate rotation and indexing of the billet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a turnover apparatus which accurately locates the corner of a billet of rectangular or square cross-section on the axis of rotation in order that the billet can be rotated on its corner.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a turnover mechanism of rugged construction which is simple and easy to manufacture of readily obtainable material and which is capable of continuous operation with a minimum of maintenance.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

The character of the invention, however, may be best understood by reference to certain of its structural forms, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention as it appears to a person looking in along the pass line of a billet;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line IH1II of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line IV-IV of FIG. 2.

Referring first to FIG. 1, wherein are best shown the general features of the invention, the turnover apparatus, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, is shown as having a base 11 on which is mounted a frame 12. The frame 12 is slidable transversely of the pass line on rails 13 formed in the surface of the base 11. A hydraulic cylinder 14 has its body mounted on the base 11 and the outer end of its piston rod connected to the frame 12. Clamping bolts 15 and 16 serve, when tightened, to maintain the frame on the base in a pre-selected position. The frame 12 is formed with a lower portion 17 and an upper portion 18 which is removable when desired. The frame 13 is provided with a large bore 19 which is generally concentric with the pass line and in which resides a body member 21 having a large rectangular aperture 22. Bearing wheels 23, 24, 25 and 26 are mounted in the frame with their peripheries extending inwardly of the bore 19 which contacts the outer periphery of the body member 21. A roller table 20 is located on the inlet side of the apparatus, while a similar roller table 30 is located on the outlet side.

It can be seen that the body 21 is of generally cylindrical form and resides within the bore 19 of the frame 12. Embedded in its outer periphery is an annular rail 27 having a grooved outer surface which engages the wheels 23, 24, 25 and 26, which are provided with V-shaped peripheries to match a V-shaped notch in the rail 27. The body 21 is formed in two parts which come together in a transverse plane 28 and are held together by bolts 29. The two parts of the body when drawn up tightly by the bolts 29 clamp the rail 27 tightly in place. Mounted on the forward side of the body 12 and facing oncoming billets is a funnel shaped guide 31 having a guide aperture 32 of square cross-section which is larger at the outboard end than at the inboard end with the inboard end matching and of somewhat the same size as the aperture 22 in the body 12. Mounted in the body 21 and extending slightly into the aperture 22 is a guide block 33. Opposite the block 33 and extending entirely across the side of the aperture 22 is a guide plate 34. It will be observed from FIGS. 3 and 4 that the facing sides of the two halves of the body 12 are recessed to form, when assembled, an internal chamber 35 within which resides the block 33 and the guide plate 34. The plate 34 is provided with laterally extending abutments 36 and 37 to which are pivotally attached links 38 and 39. The outer ends of the links 38 and 39 are joined by a link 41 and also pivotally connected to links 42 and 43 respectively. The other end of the link 43 is pivotally attached to an abutment 44 extended inwardly of the chamber 35 while the other end of the link 42 is keyed to a shaft 45 extending parallel to the pass line which extends from the other Wall of the body 21. The plate 34 is also suspended from a link 47, which is pivotally connected to the plate at one end, and at the other end it is pivotally connected to an abutment 48 extending downwardly into the chamber 35. The abutment 44 is on approximately the same horizontal level as part of the hydraulic cylinder 52, the cylinder being firm- 1y mounted on the body by means of a bracket 53. A portion of the body 21 which faces toward the oncoming billets is provided with a crank arm 54' which is bolted to the face of the body in a fixed relationship but is pivotally attached at its outer end to the piston rod 55 of a pneumatic cylinder 56, which in turn is mounted on the frame 12 by means of the bracket 57.

It will be understood, of course, that various pneumatic circuits, solenoid valves and actuating switches a are associated with theapparatus to bring about the admission and release of actuating fiuid to the cylinders 14, 52 and 55, but'these for m no part of the present invention.

The operation of the apparatus will now be readily understood in view of the above description. There are many instances of rolling mills where a turnover function is desirable; let us assume, however, that'the present turnover apparatus is located between a billet reheating furnace and the first roll standof a rod mill. Furthermore, let us assume that the billet comesout of the furnace resting on itsside or on the'square, but thatit is desirable to introduce the billet into the first rolling mill with one of the diagonals in a. vertical position. It is important not only that the billet be rotated through 45.? a

but also that this be done with considerable accuracy, since the end ofthe billet must enter the guide preceding the roll stand. Inaccurate location of the end of'the billet. can result in extreme wear in' the guide and, in

extreme instances, in failure of the billet to enter the When the billet passes through the turnoverv guide, apparatus it rests on roller tables which extend from the furnace to the turnover apparatus and fromthe turnover apparatus to the rolling mill stand. Since the billet may be in the order of 150 feet long and 3 inches square,

it is quite important that it be turned onthe corner by pure rotation about one of the corners which contacts I the upper surfaces of the roll table's, rather than be turned about some other axis which will require lifting of the billet. For that reason, as is evident in FIG. 3, the billet is placed within the aperture 22 with one corner at the intersection of the line a-'-a which represents the level of the roller table on' which the billet rests and the 4 is the position of one corner of thebillet, the billet will be rotated about the corner. It will maintain its position on the roller table, however, so that its weight will be supported at all .times.

This is important because of the fact that the hot billet is extremely soft and pliable.

'When the billet has passed through the turnover. mechanism and is under the guidance of the next rolling mill stand, the billet'will no longer actuate the downstream switch which was mentioned above and the release of the switch 'willcause cylinders 52 and 55 to return to their initial positions so that the plate 34 will be in the retracted position shown in FIG. 3 and so that the body 21 will have the aspect shown in that figure, with the sides of the aperture 22 vertical and horizontal. The mechanism is then ready for another cycle.

It is obvious. that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the inventio-n without departing from the materialspirit thereof. It is not, however, desired 'to confine the. invention. to the exact formherein shown and described, but'it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

'The invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent 1. turnover apparatus, for a running elongated bar of rectangular cross-section comprising a drum having a a horizontal axis and an axial aperture therethrough, said stand on the corner, that is to say, resting on one corner 5 fsaidbar coincides with said axis, means for operating said 'movable wall'betwieen positions for admitting said bar drum positioned intermediate front and rear roller tables andhaving saidaxis at the same level as the supporting surfaces of said roller tables, means mounting said drum for rotation about said axis, said aperture having one vertical wall transversely movable for transversely displacing said barto a position in which one corner of wit-h' substantialtransverse clearance and transversely loca ting said bar in said. position with running clearance and means for rotating said drum through a predetermined angle about said axis inorder to rotate said running bar 7 about said corner without vertical displacement of said j corner above the supporting surfaces of said roller tables.

line b-b which-represents the right hand position of the a plate 34.. Now, when the billet passes through the turn over apparatus, it eventually strikes a switch located downstream between the turnover apparatus and e the following roll stand, and this switch causes air to be admitted to the pneumatic cylinder 52, thus moving the piston rod I 51 upwardly and turning the crank arm 49. This rotates the shaft 45in a clockwise direction. and turns the link42 in that same direction, carrying the rest of thelinkage with it. .Straghtening. out of the toggle formed by the 2. A running bar turning apparatus comprising a roller table for delivering a moving bar to a turning station, a guide on said apparatus having a converging opening therein for receiving said bar from said table and locating sa1d bar approximately along the longitudinal axis of said apparatus said axis positioned at the same horizontal level as said rollertable, a rotatable drum having an axial aperture therethrough aligned with said guide and larger intransverse dimensions than'the size of. said bar,

' the horizontal dimension of said aperture being defined bytwo spacedvertical wall members located on' opposite sides of said axis, means' operable for decreasing the spacirig between said wall members to be slightly greater than ,the horizontal dimension of. said' bar and to locate one corner of said bar at'the position of intersection with said aXisQand means'for rotating said'drum .to turn said runlinks 33 and 42 and the links39 and 43. causes the-plate 34 to move to the right, the link 47 acting as a supporting means for the plate and maintaining'it in a substantiallyvertical position. Atithe extremeposition' of the cylinder 52 the plate 34 occupies the position shown by v the dotted line b-l-b. The billet is now transversely confined between the plate 3.4 and the insert 33, andrests on the roller table with its bottom side at the'level shown by the line aa. YAQtime delay apparatus associatediwith" the actuation'of the switch mentioned before causes air to be admittedito .the'cylinder 56, thus .rnqving the piston 5 rod 55 upwardlyand rotating the body '21 in a; counter-. e 1clockwise direction; Since theaxis of rotation is on the.

intersection of the line q- -awiththeline b..-l andithis ningbar on said corner located on said axis without raising. said corner above the level of. said roller table- 3. An apparatus for turning" a running barcomprising a drum having 'a' hollow'axi al passage .ther'ethr'ough for receiving longitudinally said running bar from a roller ftabl'e, saidpas'sage of substantially larger transverse dimensions than'thetransverse dimensions of said bar, a

-. block and a plate mounted withinsaidfpassage on opposite s'ides of theiaxisxof said drum to'forrrr spaced parallel wallsin said passagethe spacingbetween said wallsnorgmal'ly*"beingsubstantially larger -than the corresponding 1 transversev dimension of sai'd entering bar, means support- .ing said plate for movement frorn'a first position remote 'Lfrom said-axis to a second position intersecting said'axis subsequent. to thenentranceof said bar in said passage,

' drum in order to rotate said bar without vertically 5 i 6 means'for supporting said bar to travel through said pas- References Cited by the Examiner sagewith one surface of said bar in the plane normal to UNITED STATES PATENTS said wa ls and intersecting said axis, means for moving said plate to said second position intersecting said axis to displace said bar in order to have a corner thereof 10- 5 cated on the axis of rotation, and means for rotating said 763,307 6/04 Mills. 2,656,748 10/53 Hugo et al 26924 2,666,534 1/54 Pietseh. 2,931,256 4/60 Peterson.

displacing said corner, the spacing between said walls FOREIGN PATENTS when said plate is in said second position being slightly 1,165,230 8 Fran egreater than said corresponding transverse dimension of 10 HUGO O SCHULZ, Primary Examiner said bar to permit the bar to be turned while running through said apparatus, ERNEST A. FALLER, JR., Exammer. 

3. AN APPARATUS FOR TURNING A RUNNING BAR COMPRISING A DRUM HAVING A HOLLOW AXIAL PASSAGE THERETHROUGH FOR RECEIVING LONGITUDINALLY SAID RUNNING BAR FROM A ROLLER TABLE, SAID PASSAGE OF SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER TRANSVERSE DIMENSIONS THAN THE TRANSVERSE DIMENSIONS OF SAID BAR, A BLOCK AND A PLATE MOUNTED WITHIN SAID PASSAGE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE AXIS OF SAID DRUM TO FORM SPACED PARALLEL WALLS IN SAID PASSAGE, THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID WALLS NORMALLY BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER THAN THE CORRESPONDING TRANSVERSE DIMENSION OF SAID ENTERING BAR, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID PLATE FOR MOVEMENT FROM A FIRST POSITION REMOTE FROM SAID AXIS TO A SECOND POSITION INTERSECTING SAID AXIS SUBSEQUENT TO THE ENTRANCE OF SAID BAR IN SAID PASSAGE, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID BAR TO TRAVEL THROUGH SAID PASSAGE WITH ONE SURFACE OF SAID BAR IN THE PLANE NORMAL TO 